projects like ITER with the goal of delivering clean limitless energy but a working fusion

像ITER這樣的項目，目標是提供無限的清潔能源，但工作的核聚變。

reactor has never been achieved. Recently though researchers from MIT and a spinoff

反應堆從來沒有實現過。最近雖然來自麻省理工學院的研究人員和一個副產品

company Commonwealth Fusion Systems have published a series of papers that lay out a roadmap

公司Commonwealth Fusion Systems已經發表了一系列論文，列出了一個路線圖

to building a self-sustaining demonstration reactor within the next five years. How can

以期在未來五年內建成一個自給自足的示範反應堆。如何才能

they be so ambitious, what's their secret? Actually one of the refreshing things about

他們這麼有野心，有什麼祕訣？其實，一個令人耳目一新的事情是

this proposal is it doesn't appear to have any secrets. Unlike other private fusion startups,

這個提案是它似乎沒有任何祕密。與其他私人融合創業公司不同。

Commonwealth Fusion Systems detailed the science behind their approach in their seven peer-reviewed

英聯邦融合系統公司在其七次同行評審中詳細介紹了其方法背後的科學。

papers. Their starting point is the same as many other fusion proposals: a donut shaped

論文。他們的出發點和許多其他的核聚變提案一樣：一個甜甜圈形狀的。

device called a tokamak. Fusion works by smashing light elements like

稱為託卡馬克的設備。融合的原理是將光元素粉碎，如

hydrogen into each other so they combine, form new elements, and release energy in the

氫氣相互轉化，使它們結合，形成新的元素，並釋放出能量。

process. On Earth, in order to get the positively charged protons in the hydrogen nuclei to

的過程。在地球上，為了使氫核中帶正電荷的質子

overcome their natural repulsion from each other and collide, you have to crank up the

克服它們之間的自然排斥力，併發生碰撞，你必須調高它們的音量

heat to roughly 100 million degrees celsius. The hydrogen, now in plasma form, must be

加熱到大約1億攝氏度。氫氣，現在是等離子體的形式，必須是... ...

kept from touching anything to stay hot and sustain the reaction. To accomplish this,

保持不接觸任何東西，以保持熱度並維持反應。為了達到這個目的：

tokamaks use superconducting magnets to create magnetic fields that contain the plasma. Improving

tokamaks使用超導磁鐵來產生包含等離子體的磁場。改善

these magnets is step one for Commonwealth Fusion Systems.

這些磁鐵是聯邦融合系統的第一步。

Other tokamaks currently in development like ITER rely on older superconducting technology

目前正在開發的其他託卡馬克，如ITER，依靠的是較老的超導技術。

that needs to be cooled with liquid helium to just 4 kelvin. But in the last few years,

需要用液氦冷卻到只有4開爾文。但在過去的幾年裡。

scientists have figured out how to manufacture sufficient quantities of high-temperature

科學家們已經想出瞭如何製造足夠數量的高溫的。

superconductors with the performance necessary for fusion reactors. These high temperature

具有聚變反應堆所需性能的超導體。這些高溫

superconductors can generate stronger magnetic fields, and since the amount of power a tokamak

超導體可以產生更強的磁場，而且由於託卡馬克的功率很大。

can generate is proportional to the strength of its magnetic field, better magnets make

能產生的磁場強度成正比，較好的磁鐵使

it possible to build a smaller cheaper reactor that can still demonstrate a net energy gain

是否有可能建造一個更小的、更便宜的反應堆，但仍能顯示出淨能量的增加。

from fusion. The researchers propose such a reactor, dubbed

從核聚變。研究人員提出了這樣一個反應堆，被稱為。

Soonest/Smallest Private-Funded Affordable Robust Compact reactor or SPARC. With construction

最快/最小的私人資金負擔得起的緊湊型反應堆或SPARC。隨著建設

slated to begin in spring 2021, the team predicts it could be built within 3 to 4 years from

計劃於2021年春季開工，該團隊預測它可以在3至4年內建成。

that. Their goal is to achieve a Q factor of at least 2, basically meaning SPARC will

的，他們的目標是。他們的目標是實現至少2的Q係數，基本上意味著SPARC將。

pump out twice the energy needed to power it. Actually by the calculations in their

泵出的能量是動力所需的兩倍。其實根據他們的計算

papers SPARC could possibly achieve a Q ratio of 10! But the researchers are cautious about

論文SPARC有可能實現10的Q比!但研究人員對

overpromising, and are just focused on achieving the lower figure. It's still impressive,

承諾過高，只是專注於實現較低的數字。還是很厲害的。

considering any net gain would be a first for human created controlled fusion.

考慮到任何淨收益將是人類創造的控制核聚變的第一次。

Assuming it gets built along that predicted 3-4 year timeline and actually gets flipped

假設它能沿著預測的3-4年的時間線建設，並真正得到翻轉。

on, there's still several steps between SPARC and limitless clean energy. Remember

上，距離SPARC和無限的清潔能源還有好幾步。記住

we've never sustained burning plasma here on earth, so there's a lot we can only learn

我們從來沒有在地球上持續燃燒等離子體，所以有很多東西我們只能學習。

once we've actually seen it up close. Still, the researchers are optimistic that

一旦我們真的近距離看到它。不過，研究人員還是樂觀地認為

a pilot fusion plant that continuously produces electricity could be built in the next 15

在未來15年內可建成持續發電的中試核聚變工廠。

years. While they admit there are a lot of details to work out, they've got one thing

年。雖然他們承認有很多細節需要解決，但他們有一點

nailed down: the name. They've dubbed their planned full scale reactor Affordable Robust

釘了下來：名稱。他們將其計劃中的全規模反應堆稱為 "經濟實惠的魯棒"。

Compact. Now I haven't asked them if they picked this strange name because the acronym

緊湊型。現在我還沒有問他們是否取了這個奇怪的名字，因為這個名字的縮寫是

is ARC, and if that's a reference to the Arc Reactor that powers Tony Stark's suit,

是ARC，如果是指給託尼-斯塔克的西裝提供動力的弧形反應堆。

but c'mon, that's totally what they did. Outsiders who have reviewed the papers are

但拜託，這完全是他們所做的。外人誰已經審查了論文是

actually impressed and optimistic that this could be the breakthrough fusion power needed.

其實印象深刻，並樂觀地認為這可能是所需的突破性核聚變動力。

Though they have their doubts the scientists from MIT and Commonwealth Fusion Systems are

儘管麻省理工學院和聯邦核聚變系統公司的科學家們有他們的疑慮。

able to pull it off as quickly as they predict. One physicist suggested that it might be more

能夠像他們預測的那樣迅速地完成它。一位物理學家提出，這可能是更多的。

realistic to double the estimate, which would put SPARC six to eight years away and ARC,

將估計值提高一倍是現實的，這將使SPARC在6到8年後才會出現，而ARC。

just like the industry joke always says, 30 years away. This time though it might not

就像業內笑話常說的那樣，30年後。不過這一次可能不會

be a joke. This time we may actually have a working fusion power plant by 2050.

是一個笑話。這一次，我們可能真的會在2050年之前擁有一個工作的核聚變電站。

SPARC is the latest fusion reactor proposal but one of the most promising that's been

SPARC是最新的核聚變反應堆提案，但也是最有希望的提案之一。

in the works for some time is ITER. Check out our video on how ITER is to coming

在工程中一段時間是ITER。查看我們的視頻ITER是如何來的

along here. So, does SPARC's transparency give you hope or are you skeptical that this will

隨著這裡。那麼，SPARC的透明度是否給你帶來了希望，或者你懷疑這是否會

be the big breakthrough for fusion? Let us know in the comments, don't forget to subscribe,

是核聚變的重大突破？請在評論中告訴我們，別忘了訂閱。

and I'll see you next time on Seeker!

下一次在探索者見!